Best time of day to workout?

lindoussa
lindoussa Posts: 66
in Health and Weight Loss
Ideally I want to wake up in the morning and work out, but I wake up soooo hungry. Is it okay to workout hungry? If I eat first how long should I wait before exercise, or is it okay to workout right after eating breakfast (coffee, hard boiled egg, whole wheat english muffin and 1 oz cream cheese)?

Thanks so much in advanced!

Replies

  • lvtruu1
    lvtruu1 Posts: 211 Member
    Yes working out fasted is fine. I did it often. I don't do cardio much right now, just lifting weights, so I do eat before I work out.
  • NoMorePerfect
    NoMorePerfect Posts: 47 Member
    I do early morning so that I know it'll get done and I won't have time to make excuses for it later in the day. Plus, I have so much energy in the day if I exercise early. I do not eat before exercising, though that is different for everyone. Watch your body, it will tell you if you need to eat beforehand.
  • JustANumber85
    JustANumber85 Posts: 644 Member
    I workout at 5am. I eat a light meal before. Yesterday I made the mistake of eating a giant lunch before working out and it was not good!
  • lindoussa
    lindoussa Posts: 66
    Thanks so much guys! I HAD to eat this morning. I couldn't take the sensation of hunger before working out, and thought it would be unbearable during. Now I guess I need to wait a half hour or something?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Thanks so much guys! I HAD to eat this morning. I couldn't take the sensation of hunger before working out, and thought it would be unbearable during. Now I guess I need to wait a half hour or something?

    I would base this on personal preference (same way I'd answer your original post).
    Speaking from personal experience, I'd wait for 30-60m to avoid stomach problems.
  • JonMB
    JonMB Posts: 49 Member
    The best time is whatever time you can do it consistently.

    6am, 9am, 2p, 10pm. Whenever. :)
  • lindoussa
    lindoussa Posts: 66
    Thanks so much guys! I HAD to eat this morning. I couldn't take the sensation of hunger before working out, and thought it would be unbearable during. Now I guess I need to wait a half hour or something?

    I would base this on personal preference (same way I'd answer your original post).
    Speaking from personal experience, I'd wait for 30-60m to avoid stomach problems.

    Thanks so much! I will just go ahead and try now and see how it goes. Yesterday I didn't eat before and felt like I could pass out after I finished the P90X Kenpo Cardio + Thought I would try eating first to see it that changed anything.

    Thanks again :)
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    What you eat and timing before is up to your body and personal preference. Some people will get light headed, even pass out if they don't eat before working out. I get sick if I eat first thing in the morning and don't feel any lack of energy by not eating first in the morning. Time of day for working out is also personal preference. Even if you do get a slight benefit by workout out at an exact time of day, if you won't do it then, you still get no benefit from it.
  • Jenny775
    Jenny775 Posts: 108 Member
    Personal preference OP - do what works for you! :)
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
    It is a personal preference.

    Personally, I can't do any hard core cardio before eating in the morning. It makes me shaky and sick.

    When I want to workout in the morning other than a little ride on my stationary bike or my elliptical I will eat something small. Usually a piece of fruit or a smoothie.
  • MallyPie
    MallyPie Posts: 81
    I prefer to do cardio in the morning, within 30-45 minutes of waking up. I usually do not eat first. Then when I do my evening bootcamp/HIIT workout, I am certain to eat before. Typically I eat about 1-1.5 hours before my evening workout.
  • Tinytaru
    Tinytaru Posts: 185 Member
    personal preference^^

    during the week I go to gym in the evening after work and at the weekends I go straight after I get up
  • newcs
    newcs Posts: 717 Member
    Do whatever works for you (which might take a couple fails to figure out). For me, if I work out at home it has to be first thing in the AM but after I've had a little to eat (usually 4oz OJ + 1/2 english muffin + almond butter). I can't work out hungry or I get light headed but too much food makes me nauseous. If I'm working out at the gym, I usually do mid afternoon because it's not busy and because it's a good incentive to take a break from work (I go instead of taking a lunch hour).
  • BattlingMaxo
    BattlingMaxo Posts: 21 Member
    I am sure many will not agree but here is what Dr Nick says Best time of day to lose fat is morning and unless you a medical problem you need to work out on an empty stomach. In the morning your body is starved for energy, You will burn up to 3 times as much body fat. This is for someone getting cut.
  • __F4t2f1t__
    __F4t2f1t__ Posts: 97
    upon waking
  • Ta2dchic20
    Ta2dchic20 Posts: 376 Member
    The best time of day to workout is whatever fits in your schedule that you can actually stick to. I workout in the mornings because after work, I am too tired and lazy. Pure and simple. Also, eat something before you workout if you're hungry. It doesn't have to be a full meal. I have a handful of trail mix, it works for me.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I eat right after because of reasons that Ive convinced myself make sense cause it works with my body.

    Wanna know the secret? Dont worry about the rule of thumb and start making a list of the rules of YOU. The things that work and dont work based on experiments! Do a week eating before and a week eating after and then - THEN MY FRIEND... you will know... for sure.
  • bionicdiver
    bionicdiver Posts: 198 Member
    I used to have the same problem about getting up and going to the gym hungry. Now, if I go in the mornings, I have a protein shake and a piece of fruit or a clif bar. Gotta have those additional carbs to keep you going through the workout.

    I loved working out in the mornings, but since I changed jobs last year, I dont have time to go in the morning and I now go early evening. I have found I like going later, better. Some studies performed have shown that going later in the day are better. Gives your body time to wake up and get adjusted to the shock of working out.
  • lindoussa
    lindoussa Posts: 66
    It is a personal preference.

    Personally, I can't do any hard core cardio before eating in the morning. It makes me shaky and sick.

    When I want to workout in the morning other than a little ride on my stationary bike or my elliptical I will eat something small. Usually a piece of fruit or a smoothie.

    Yea that is what happened to me yesterday. I felt like I was going to pass out. I ate before today, waited about 45 mins, and then worked out. I didn't feel like I was going to pass out this time. I was still a little shaky, but felt fine after I ate a snack :)
  • lindoussa
    lindoussa Posts: 66
    I am sure many will not agree but here is what Dr Nick says Best time of day to lose fat is morning and unless you a medical problem you need to work out on an empty stomach. In the morning your body is starved for energy, You will burn up to 3 times as much body fat. This is for someone getting cut.

    This is not the 1st time I have heard this and it is actually what my husband believes. I just felt like passing out when I did that yesterday.
  • lindoussa
    lindoussa Posts: 66
    I eat right after because of reasons that Ive convinced myself make sense cause it works with my body.

    Wanna know the secret? Dont worry about the rule of thumb and start making a list of the rules of YOU. The things that work and dont work based on experiments! Do a week eating before and a week eating after and then - THEN MY FRIEND... you will know... for sure.

    Great advice!!! Thank you :)
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    the working out on an empty stomach thing is good for weights and strength training, not cardio babe :) you could get all whoozy
  • kaervaak
    kaervaak Posts: 274 Member
    the working out on an empty stomach thing is good for weights and strength training, not cardio babe :) you could get all whoozy

    Steady state cardio is fine to do fasted (with some caveats). The muscles used in low intensity cardio are primarily slow twitch which rely on fat and triglyceride oxidation for energy and performance should not be affected by being in a fasted state. However, if you're pushing really hard, you should probably eat something before and possibly during.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I am sure many will not agree but here is what Dr Nick says Best time of day to lose fat is morning and unless you a medical problem you need to work out on an empty stomach. In the morning your body is starved for energy, You will burn up to 3 times as much body fat. This is for someone getting cut.

    This is not the 1st time I have heard this and it is actually what my husband believes. I just felt like passing out when I did that yesterday.


    I dont believe that is correct. Fasted training may improve fatty acid mobilization but mobilization issues typically only exist in already lean individuals.

    I wouldn't worry at all about how much fat oxidation occurs during the training bout. Regardless of when you train, you're burning calories.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    the working out on an empty stomach thing is good for weights and strength training, not cardio babe :) you could get all whoozy

    Steady state cardio is fine to do fasted (with some caveats). The muscles used in low intensity cardio are primarily slow twitch which rely on fat and triglyceride oxidation for energy and performance should not be affected by being in a fasted state. However, if you're pushing really hard, you should probably eat something before and possibly during.

    ^ is what I meant - i forget about the whole low intensity cardio world lol
  • lvtruu1
    lvtruu1 Posts: 211 Member
    Fasted training may improve fatty acid mobilization but mobilization issues typically only exist in already lean individuals.

    I wouldn't worry at all about how much fat oxidation occurs during the training bout. Regardless of when you train, you're burning calories.
    [/quote]

    This is the right answer. For heavy/obese people in matters little.

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